Speed-matching system for printing press paster apparatus



May 9, 1961 E. J. FLANNERY 2,983,458

SPEED-MATCHING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESS FASTER APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1961 E. J. FLANNERY SPEED-MATCHING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESS. EASTER APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Miiiigl y 1961 E. J. FLANNERY 2,983,458

SPEED-MATCHING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESS FASTER APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 SPEED-MATCHING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESS FASTER APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1956 May 9, 1961 E. J. FLANNERY U d S a s Patent SPEED-MATCHING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PRESS PASTER APPARATUS Edward J. Flannery, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to R. Hoe & Co., a corporation Filed July 2,1956, Ser. No. 595,534

5 Claims. (Cl. 242-583) This invention has to do with paster apparatus for high speed printing presses whereby the paper feed to the press is changed from one web roll to another while the press is running at quite high speed.

In order to make a successful paster at high press speeds, it is of extreme importance that the speed of the incoming roll shall match that of the running web from the expiring roll at the time the paster is made in order that there will be no undue strain on the splice. In some systems this condition is brought about by driving the new roll up to speed by contact with the running web, an adhesive being applied to the replacement roll, or a dried adhesive thereon activated by spraying a solvent thereon, after the desired speed of the roll is attained. In other systems external driving power means, such as running belts, are employed. In the latter type of system the power means must be very accurately controlled in order to obtain proper speed match before the paster or splice is made.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive, yet highly effective, equipment for'obtaining accurate speed matching of a power-driven incoming roll with the web running to the press from an expiring roll by means based on the synchronous tie or power selsyn principle of Wound rotor motors. The term synchrotie is often used to describe this principle of motor operation and will be used in the following specification. v

This principle is based on the known fact that if two or more wound rotor induction motors have their primary windings fed from a common source, and if they have their rotor phases connected together in a proper manner, then if the rotor of one of the motors is rotated the rotors of the other motor or motors in the system will follow the displaced rotor regardless (within practical limits) of the speed or direction of rotation. Thus, all of the motors will act as a synchrotie system, once they are synchronized Usually one motor, called the transmitter, is driven from an external source and'the other motor or motors, called the receiver or receivers, follow the driven motor.

In applying the synchrotie principle to the roll drive problem involved in making flying pasters, I usethe main drive shaft of the printing press, or another shaft which rotates with the press at the speed thereof, as the external power source from which the .synchrotie transmitter is 2 has been brought up to or near the speed of the running web) there will be no slip and the roll will be positively driven at the speed of the web. In somein'stances it may be found desirable to use such a clutch without the synchrotie motors and this may therefore be regarded as a further object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby such a speed match system may be applied to a multi-unit press, the arrangement preferably being such that the receivers for a plurality of the units may be controlled from a transmitter'at a folder and that the unit receivers, or certain thereof, may be selectively grouped with the transmitter at one or another of the folders. 2

A still further object is to provide means, which may be a mechanical slip clutch, in the drive from the press shaft to the transmitter, which means functions, in case:

pasters are being made simultaneously at a plurality of units-in a multi-unit press, to. avoid the possibility that the combined torque of the several receivers involved will pull the synchrotie out of synchronism.

Other objects and advantages of the'invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof,'takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a printing press roll stand or reel equipped with a power-driven belt for bringing the incoming roll up to the speed of the web running to the press from an expiring roll;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, taken substantially on the line 22 in Fig. .1, showingthe'belt drive motor which constitutes the receiver 'of the synchrotie system; ,Fig. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the roll driving belt and the pulleys therefor taken substantially on the section line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a simplified view: of a press drive motor and asynchrotie transmitter motor arranged to be driven therefrom through a chain drive and transmitter clutch;

Fig. 5 is a basic schematic view and wiring diagram of the synchrotie scheme, as applied to a single press unit;

- Fig. 6 is a view showing diagrammatically eight press units and two folders of a unit-type press, with a trans- As thus illustrated, the physical arrangement of the driven, such transmitter being used to control the roll drive motor, acting as a synchrotie receiver.

A further object of the invention is to provide in such a system, means,, -preferably a magnetic slip,clutch,for insuring that the inertia torqu'e'developed as the replacement roll is-being brought up to speed will not pull the receiver or receivers out of synchronism with the transbelow such excitation setting (such as exist after the roll part of the paster apparatus to which the present invention relates'is shownin Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, to which attention is first directed.

A three-armed reel 11 is shown supporting an expiring roll 12, from which a web 1 3fis being drawn tothe press (not shown) .'and two full replacementrolls Hand 15,

the rolls being supported-by'pairs of arms of which,-

only those at one side of the reel are shown, identified by thenumerals 16, 17 and 18 respectively. These arms together form a. spider which issupported on a reel shaft 19 arranged to be driven by a motor 21in the customary manner. a

The roll '14, is in the position in which it] is located just prior to the making ap'asteror splice between the web .of this roll and the running'web 13 from the expiring roll 12.

In accordance Withone well known paster method, each replacement: rollis prepared-for the paster operationby having the'leading-edge ofit's'web,-which may i be torn or cut in the form-of inverted 'Vs coated ex-' whichfrnaybe termed the incoming roll,

ass sses;

drive belt of a roll drive mechanism which is generally.

indicated by the nur'neral 22. The purpose of this mechanism is to bring the peripheral speed ofthe incoming roll up to the speed of the expiring web before the pastor or splice is made.

Before further describing the roll drive mechanism, it should be pointed out that tension is maintained in the running Web by tension straps 23 (only one of which is shown, although there are ordinarily several, say four, across the width of the roll) engaging the rotating roll 12. Such straps extend from anchor assemblies 24 beneath the reel or roll stand to cams 25 on a shaft 26 above the roll position. This shaft is rotated by a belt or chain drive 27 from a torque motor (not shown) which is controlled 'by a floating roller (not shown) that is acted upon by the web 13 at a point beyond the guide rollers 28 and29 shown in Fig. 1 so that the torque of the motor is varied in accordance with the tension in the web. The details of this tension equipment are not illustrated since they are not material to the present invention, except by way of environment.

In the same category is the cutter and brush assembly, indicated in Fig. l by the-reference character 31. This assembly, which includes paster back-up brushes 32 and cutters 33, is movable pneumatically into operative position by a plunger and cylinder mechanism 34 when a pastor is to be made, and is retracted by means (not shown) when the paster or splicing operation is completed. It Will be understood that at the right time the assembly just referred to is brought into the position shown and the incoming roll 14 is brought up to speed as hereinafter described. The brushes are then caused to move forward deflecting the running web toward the incoming roll 14, making the splice, the expiring web being cut off by the cutters 33. The reel is rotated to bring the roll into the proper running position after the splice is made.

As previously stated, the present invention is concerned primarily with the mechanism and system whereby the incoming roll is brought up to press speed. The rolldr'ive mechanism 22 referred to above is shown-in Fig. 1 in its operative position in contact with the roll 14. However, it is-normally held in a raised, inoperative position (not shown), being-pivotallymounted on a shaft 35 journaled in the-press frame 36 and sub-frame member-s40 with the forward or free end of the assembly guided'in a slotted plate 37, forming a part of the paster apparatus, by means of a shaft 38 carried by said'frame structure. A two-way or double-acting air valve and cylinder mechanism 39 is used to lower the roll drive assembly into operative position and to retract it at proper times in the cycle of operation. The details of this mechanism are not a part of'the present invention and hence, it isbelieved, need not be further described in this specification, except to say that the drive assembly isslidably mounted on the shafts'35 and 38 so that it may be adjusted to accommodate rolls of. dilferent length.

Said roll 'drive mechanism includes a belt 41 trained over pulleys 42 and 43, and an idler take-up pulley 44 is employed to maintain proper tension in the belt. The pulley 42 is cogged to match teeth only fragmentarily shown in Fig. 3 on the insideof the driving belt 41 to provide a positive drive between said pulley and the belt. The pulleys 42, 43 and 44 are carried on shafts 45, 46 and 47, respectively, which are supported from a rolldrive frame48. The pulley.43 is held under spring tension by spring bolts 49 acting on the shaft 46.

The shaft 45 is rotatably mounted in the frame 48 and carries a gear 51 which meshes with a pinion 52 on the shaft 35. The lattershaft is arranged to be drivenby a motor 53 throngh ;abelt. drive 54. connecting :a motor? 4 driven shaft 55 with a sheave on saidvshaft 35. A mag.-v netic clutch 56 is interposed between the motor 53 and the shaft 55 and forms a part of the synchrotie control scheme of my invention, as Will later be more fully described.

I have shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 a press drive motor 57 and shaft 60 coupled by a chain-and-gear drive 58 and a clutch 59 with a motor 61 which constitutes the transmitter motor (or one thereof) of my synchrotie system, the receiver motor of the system being the roll drive motor 53 above mentioned. Electrical wiring connecting said synchrotie motors is indicated roughly at 62 and 63 in Figs. 4 and '2, respectively.

Fig. 5 represents the: basic electrical elements of the system as applied to a single press unit and shows the synchrotie synchronizing and excitation circuits. As illustrated in this view, three-phase power is brought in on lines x, y and z, through contacts '64, 65 and. 66, of a contactor or relay 67, through contact 68 of a contactor 69 and the primary windings of the motors 61 and 53, the former constituting'the transmitter and the latter the receiver of the system, as previously explained.

In order to synchronize a synchrotie system it is necessary to first apply single-phase power to the stators to align the motor rotors, and then, after ashort time interval, to apply three-phase power. Accordingly, a switch 71 is provided. When it is closed,-contactor 67 will be energized, closing contacts 64, 65 and 66 and applying power to phases a and b of each of the motors 61 and 53. The circuit will be maintained through a contact 72 of the relay 67. This is done while the motors areat a standstill and brings the rotors into definite angular relationship, called synchronism. At the same tim a relay 73 will be energized through the line y, the-contact 72, said relay 73 and the line z. A contact 74 is Operated by the relay 73, which isof the time; delay type so that said contact .74 does not pick up until a predetermined time has elapsed after the coil of said relay '73 has been energized. Contact 74 then closes, establishing a circuit from the line y, through said contact 74 and the coil of relay 69 to the line z. This closes'contact 63, completing phase c and applyin'gfull three-phase power to the synchrotie system, which is then ready to operate.

7 A starting button 75 and a rectifier 76 are connected through a variable resistor 77 withthe coil 78 of the electromagnetic clutch 56, so'that when the button 75 is depressed to start the operation ofthe roll-drive mechanism DC. power from said rectifier will be supplied to said clutch coil 78. This causes transfer of power from the receiver motor 53 through said clutch to the output shaft 55 thereof.-

The clutch 56 is an iron-particle clutch of known construction and is not illustrated in detail since it is believed its construction and operation will be understood from the diagrammatic representation of it in thedrawings and from the following'brief description. The driving member of the clutch is enclosed byand rotates within the driven member. Said members are independently supported byseparate bearings and are separated from each other by a space or 'gap which remains constant. The gap contains finely divided ferromagnetic particles.

Until the stator coil'78- is energized the iron particles within the gap have littleorno frictional or bonding effect. Torque transmission is thereforepractically zero and the clutch operates at full slip. However, when the coil 78 is energized, a magnetic field'is produced in the gap, and radiallines of magnetic force develop uniformly around the peripheries of the drivingand driven members of the clutch perpendicular to theirface surfaces. The

. particles thereupon cling-to each other inchains, being control current increases the magnetic force, and thus the strength of the bond, between the particle chains;

Since the coupling between the driving and driven members of the clutch is proportional to the clutch excitation,

the torque transmission and the maximum torque limit slip, but if it is below such setting there will be no slip and the input and output shafts of the clutch will rotate in exact syuchronism. Thus as the roll is being brought up to speed the clutch will slip since the acceleration torque required at this time exceeds the excitation setting of the clutch. As the replacement roll approaches the speed of the running eb, the acceleration torque drops off, and when the speed of the roll equals the speed of the web the torque load will be below the excitation setting so that the magnetic clutch will transmit power from the synchrotie to the roll drive with zero slip, thereby providing an accurate speed match between the replacement roll and the web, at the running speed of the latter.

The torque transmission between the driving and driven members of the clutch is independent of the relative rotational speed of these members, being, as above stated, solely dependent on the excitation setting of the clutch coil 78 (which is accomplished by varying the excitation resistor 77 and the torque load.

A synchrotie system, such as I have applied to the problem involved in making flying pasters or splices with paster apparatus used in connection with rotary web-fed printing presses or like machines, has a definite limit on the torque which it can produce without losing synchronism. This value is called the pull-out torque. In a typical installation a conventional on-oif type of slip clutch, such as the clutch 59, may be inserted between the press drive motor 57 and the synchrotie transmitter motor 61. In the event pasters were being made simultaneously on several press units, for example, there is a possibility that the combined torque of the various receivers might pull the synchrotie out of syuchronism. To avoid this the clutch 59 is, or may be, employed and is set to provide positive drive up to a value below the pull-out torque of the synchrotie system. If the combined torque exceeds this value the clutch will slip until the torque has reached a safe value. 1

When the system of my invention is applied to a multiunit printing press, which is the usual type of installation, the arrangement may be such as is diagrammatically i1- lustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. In these views I have shown a transmitter motor 61 at each folder, two or which are shown, identified as, I and II. A receiver motor 53' is provided at each press unit, eight of which are shown, identified as A, B, C, D, E, F, G and Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically the electrical hook-up between the transmitter'motors at the two folder'sand the receiver motors at the various press units, and also means by which, certain of the unit receiver motors can be connected to one of the transmitter motors and others to the other, and how certain of the receivers can be selected to either transmitter.

Such means comprises a series'of transfer switches 79a to 79h on the secondary side of the receiver motors, and a second series of transfer switches 81a to 81h,on the primary side of such motors, with suitable wiring connecting such transfer switches to the respective transmitter and receiver motors. It will be evident from the contacts of these switches and the leads therefrom that receivers 53A and 5313, in the particular arrangement shown, are connectible only with the transmitter 611 and that the receivers 5-36 and SSH are connectible only with the transmitter 6111, whereas the-other receivers (53C- 53F) are selectively connectible with either transmitter. Other groupings and selectivity provisions of courseare from transmitter motor 611' and receivers 53E, 53F. an V 536 are connected to be driven from transmitter motor 61H, while receivers 53A and 53H are not connected to either transmitter motor.

;As above pointedout, if it should happen that paster-s were being made simultaneously at.several unitspthe torque limit clutches 59 would prevent the combined torque of the several receivers from pulling the syn-.

chrotie out of syuchronism.

In operation, when the operator desires to make a flying paster or splice at a particular press unit, he positions the replacement roll immediately under the roll drive mechanism 22 by the usual reel rotation motor and control mechanism. At the proper time he. energizes the magnetic clutch 56 of the receiver motor of such unit bydepressing the button 75, thus transmitting power from the relevant synchrotie receiver 53 to the roll drive belt mechanism and starting the rotation of the replacement roll. 'While the roll is being brought up to speed, the clutch 56 will slip, as previously explained, due to the fact that the torque required for such acceleration will exceed the excitation setting of the clutch 56. By the time the roll has been brought up to the speed of the web, the acceleration torque load on the output shaft of the clutch will have dropped ofi to the point that it is below, or does not exceed, the excitation setting of the clutch. There will then be no slip between the driving and driven members of the clutch and the roll will accordingly be driven at the exact speed desired so that the paster may be made without undue strain on the splice such as would result if the surface speed of the roll and the web speed were not the same.

' The scheme or systemabove described provides an exceedingly accurate and exact speed match between the replacement roll and the expiring web. Its accuracy is not a function of press speed, roll size, type of paper or particular press combination and hence a higher degree of accuracy is obtained'than with systems dependent upon one or more of these factors. *Also my system is lesscostly initially than the speed regulator systems heretofore used for this purpose and entails less maintenance problems and cost.

The system can of course be applied in various ways and the present description and drawings should therenection with said. roll-drive mechanism, said connection including a magnetic slip clutch; electrical connections between said transmitter andreceiver motors whereby the receiver is driven at the speed of the transmitter, in accordance with the synchrotie or power selsyn principle, and, through said roll-drive mechanism, drives the in-' coming roll to thereby bring it up to the speed of the running web before the paster is made; and variable excitationmea'ns for said magnetic clutch whereby the excitation value thereof may beset so that when the torque load on said receiver motor exceeds such excitation value, as when the roll is being brought up to web speed, slip between the driving and driven members of the clutch is permitted, and when such torque load is below suchexcitation value, as when the roll has substantially attained the web speed, said members will be at zero slip and the roll will be driven by said receiver motor possible. As shown, the switches are thrown so that 'reat the press speed.

2. In combination with a rotary web-fed printing press,

' driveshaft therefor and paster apparatus including a replacement roll-drive mechanism, a speed-matching sysgreases temcomprising: a synchrotie transmittermotor con-- including a magnetic slip clutch of the iron-particle type;'

electrical connections between said transmitter and receiver motors whereby the receiver is driven at the speed of the transmitter, in accordance with the synehrotieror power selsyn principle, and, through said roll-drive mechanism, drives the incoming roll to thereby bring it up to the speed of the running web before the paster is made; and variable excitation means for said magnetic clutch whereby the excitation value thereof may be set so-that when the torque load on said receiver motor exceeds such excitation value, as when'the roll is' being brought up to web speed, slipbetween the driving and driven members of the clutch is permitted, and when such torque load is below such excitation value, as when the roll has substantially attained the web speed, said members will be at zero slip and the roll will be driven by saidreceiver motor at the press speed.

3. In combination with a rotary web-fed printing press, drive shaft therefor and paster apparatus including a-replacement roll-drive mechanism, a speed-matching system comprising: a synchrotie transmitter motor connected with said press drive shaft so as to be driventhereby; a slip clutch interposed between said drive shaft and said transmitter; a synchrotie receiver motor having a driving connection with said roll-drive mechanism, said connection including a magnetic clip clutch; electrical connections between said transmitter and receiver'motors whereby the receiver is driven at the speed of the transmitter, in accordance with the synchrotie or power selsyn principle, and, through said roll-drive mechanism, drives thecincoming roll to thereby bring it up to'the speed of the running web before the pastor is made; and variable excitation means for said magnetic clutch whereby the excitation value thereof may be so set as to permit varying degrees of slip between the driving and driven members of the clutch, to prevent the developed inertia torque from pulling the receiver out of synchronism with the transmitter, as the roll is gradually brought up to speed and, before the p aster is made, to terminate the slip between such driving and driven members and thus obtain positive drive of said roll-drive mechanism and resultant accurate speed match between the replacement roll and the running web.

4. In combination with a multi-unit rotary web-fed printing press, which includes a plurality of folders and a plurality of printing units, such press having a drive shaft and paster apparatus for each unit including a replacement roll-drive mechanism, a speed-matching system comprising: synchrotie transmitter motors, one located at each folder and connected with said drive shaft so as to be driven thereby; synchrotie receiver motors, one located at each press unit and having a driving connection with the roll-drive mechanism of the pasterapparatus of the related unit, said connection including a magnetic slip clutch; electrical connections between said transmitter and receiver motors whereby the receivers are driven at the speed of the transmitters, in accordance with the synchrotie or power selsyn principle, and, through said roll-drive mechanisms, drive the incoming rolls to thereby bring them up to the speed of the running web before the pasters'aremade; meanswhereby 'ea'ch of the receivers can be operatively connectediwith the transmitter atone or another of said folders; and variableexcitation meansfor each said magnetic clutch whereby the excita tion value thereof may be so set as to permit 'slipbee tween the-driving and driven members of the clutch sw'hem the torque load on the related receiver motor exceeds such excitation value, as when the roll isbeing brought:

up to web speed, and to prevent such slip when such, torque load is below such excitation value, as when the rol has substantially attained the web speed so that thereafter the roll will be driven at the press and Web speed.

5. In combination with a multi-unit rotary web-fed printing press, which includes a plurality of folders and a plurality ofnprinting units, such press having a drive shaft and pastor apparatus for each unitincluding a replace ment roll-drive mechanism, a speed-matching system comprising: synchrotie transmitter motors, one located at each folder and jconnected'with said drive shaft so as tobe driven thereby; a slip clutch interposed between each said drive shaft and its related transmitter; synchrotie receiver motors, one located at each press unit and having a driving connection with the roll-drive mechanism of the pastor apparatus for the related unit, said connection including a magnetic slip clutch; electrical connections between said transmitter and receiver motors whereby the receivers are driven at the speed of the transmitters, in accordance with the synchrotie or power selsyn principle, and, through said roll-drive mechanisms, drive the incoming rolls to thereby bring them up to the speed of the running web before the pasters are made; means whereby each of the receivers can be operatively connected with thetransmitter atone or another of said folders; said slip clutches between said press drive shafts and their related transmitters being set to provide positive drive up to a value just below the pull-out torque of the synchrotie system and, in casepasters are being made simultaneously at a plurality of the units, to permit'clutch slippage, if the combined torque of the receivers involved exceeds such value, until suchtorque has reached a safe value; and variable excitation means for each said magnetic clutch whereby the excitation value thereof may be so set as to permit slip between the driving and driven members of the clutch when the torque load on the related receiver motor exceeds such excitation value, as when the roll is being brought up to web speed, and to prevent such slip when such torque load is below such excitation value, as when the roll has substantially attained the web speed so that thereafter the roll will be driven at the press and web speed.

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